Assessing the Cause and Impact of Land Degradation on Livelihood of the Farmers in Awaro Kebele, Ambo District

Abstract

In Ethiopia, land degradation is common environmental problem. It is one of the major causes of low and declining agricultural productivity and continuing food insecurity and rural poverty in the country as well as particularly in Oromia region. There is limited information about cause and effect of land degradation in Oromia region in general and, Awaro Kebele in particular. In case to fill this gap, the major objective of the study was to assess the cause of land degradation and its impacts on livelihoods of the farmers in Awaro Kebele, Ambo District, Oromia region, Ethiopia. It was more specifically designed to identify the major causes of land degradation in the study area and to assess the impact of land degradation on crop production and livestock production of rural households. To conduct this study primary data was collected by using household survey. Secondary data was collected from material like published books and unpublished books. The collected data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics such as means, frequency and percentage and narration and explanation of facts were used to analyze qualitative data. The survey data was collected from 99 sample respondent with interview. From the study results the finding identified that the main cause of land degradation are: deforestation, population growth, overgrazing and lack of awareness. As a result indicated the consequences of land degradation in the study area is loss of productive fertile soil, loss of crop productivity, loss of animal productivity, loss of forest and vegetation coverage and poverty. Generally, finding from the study recommended that the government should have to introduce effective forest conservation mechanism through public participation to inform each and every one about the effectiveness of conserving the forest and to design appropriate land use policy and strategy to protect the land from degradation.